Chapter 250: Seeking Personal Gain
The Princess Consort Chu returned to her mansion after dark; the Prince Chu was not there.
He had left the palace earlier and did not travel with the Princess Consort.
The Princess Consort Chu was tired from a day in the palace and worried. She had already had her clothes removed and, after washing up, went to bed.
Afterward, a trusted old woman entered, holding a letter.
“Master, the doorman just delivered a letter from our uncle,” the old woman said, handing the letter to the Princess Consort Chu.
The Princess Consort Chu knew that her brother’s post was no more than three hundred li from the Capital City. Usually, any news could be delivered by his subordinates on horseback in half a day.
The fact that a letter arrived at this hour clearly indicated something urgent.
So she opened the letter and read it under the lamp. Just as she finished, Prince Chu returned.
The servants quickly attended to him. When everything was tidied up and only the two of them were in the room, the Princess Consort said, “My brother sent a letter. He has an old acquaintance, Yu Fengshan, whose son accidentally killed someone a few days ago. Because the incident happened in Danyang, he was arrested by the Prefect of Danyang.
He asked my brother for help, hoping to get his son released no matter what. My brother is still half a rank below the Prefect of Danyang, so it’s not easy to write to him directly.
Therefore, he wants to ask Your Highness to intervene and at least get the person out. This Mr. Yu also said that as long as his son is safe, he is willing to offer his entire fortune.
Speaking of which, the Yu family has paid us handsomely over the years, so I think we shouldn’t just let this matter go.”
Prince Chu listened without concern and said, “What’s the big deal? The Liu family is experienced in handling such matters. We can have Liu Yuchun handle it later. We’ll get a four-six split of the silver, and we won’t have to dirty our own hands.”
The Liu family of the Shoushan County Prince’s Mansion had always been close to Prince Chu’s family, mainly due to these dealings.
Meanwhile, Prince Zhao and Princess Consort Zhao, after returning to their mansion, Princess Consort Zhao was unhappy.
Prince Zhao asked her, “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
“You know me, even if I’m feeling unwell, I won’t show it on my face. Today, I’m unhappy because I’m feeling upset inside,” Princess Consort Zhao said.
Prince Zhao heard this and said, “Is it about what happened at the banquet today? In my opinion, you shouldn’t pay too much attention to it. Who wins or loses doesn’t matter. It’s just for fun.
You and Tong’er should be more magnanimous and not dwell on this matter. Lest people say we can’t afford to lose.”
“If it were just about winning or losing at the banquet, I wouldn’t be so short-sighted as to care about a horse,” Princess Consort Zhao said. “You haven’t inquired about the events leading up to this; it’s not just this one matter.”
She then recounted everything she had heard from Wen Mingqian and what Ying Tong had told her.
She then asked Prince Zhao, “Now tell me, am I being overly suspicious?”
“If King of Fenye really intends to form a marriage alliance for his daughter, this matter is no small thing,” Prince Zhao said, frowning. “The Northern Frontier has always been unstable, and the Imperial Court is unable to launch a distant expedition. It all relies on the King of Fenye to guard it; his position is crucial.
If he fancies someone as a son-in-law, it means that person will gain his support.”
“Exactly! That’s why I’m anxious. And Tong’er, this child, is ignorant and even dislikes the princess.” Princess Consort Zhao sighed all evening.
“He can be persuaded slowly if he’s ignorant. He’s thirteen already. If you explain the stakes clearly to him, I think he won’t be too stubborn,” Prince Zhao said after some thought. “The important thing is what the King of Fenye thinks. We cannot let him favor Ying Bai.”
“I see Prince Chu’s side gradually gaining prominence. Do you think they are content to be subordinate? It’s just that they had no choice before. Now that Princess Duanmin has returned, if they gain the favor of the King of Fenye, all our previous efforts will be in vain. It’s a pity that my father and brother are not home, and I have no one to discuss this with.”
“Don’t panic. As the saying goes, to catch a thief, first catch the king,” Prince Zhao smiled. “If Prince Chu and the others truly harbor improper ambitions, we just need to put them in their place. They do many things that are not presentable anyway. If we find fault with them and report it, they will surely be alarmed.”
“If that’s the case, putting them in their place would be good,” Princess Consort Zhao said. “I’ll go into the palace in a couple of days to gather some information.”
“This Wen Mingqian is quite capable,” Prince Zhao said. “We do have informants in the palace, but none like her, who can simultaneously obtain information from the Empress, the Emperor, and the Princess.”
“Indeed! It was the right decision for me to send her into the palace. Tutor Zhuge is in the palace now. If he could also speak on our behalf, that would be even better. However, from what I hear now, he seems to admire Ying Bai more,” Princess Consort Zhao said, her brow furrowing with worry again.
“Tutor Zhuge has always been an otherworldly master. I think he’s just offering a few casual praises and won’t interfere in other matters. If we deliberately try to curry favor with him, it might not be good. It’s better to let things take their course for now,” Prince Zhao said. They had tried to befriend Tutor Zhuge before, but he had always been indifferent and unresponsive, so they couldn’t push too hard.
“I suggest we host a banquet at our mansion and invite the King of Fenye and the Princess to visit,” Princess Consort Zhao suggested. “Regardless, we should show our sincerity first and let them know we are willing to be close. Even if some things cannot be said clearly at the banquet, it is much more convenient to speak in our own home than in the palace.”
“That’s a good idea. I’ll have the people in the mansion prepare for it. Tomorrow, when I attend court, I will request it in front of the Emperor. I believe His Majesty will not refuse me,” Prince Zhao also felt they should be more proactive.
“I think even if Ying Bai is more clever than Tong’er, it’s only to a limited extent. The King of Fenye doesn’t just look at the individual; he also considers their background and foundation. Regardless, if Princess Zhuolahhan doesn’t choose a spouse carelessly, fine! But if she does choose, we must win,” Princess Consort Zhao gritted her teeth and said. “No matter the outcome, we must do our best.”
“Alright, alright. You’ve worked hard today. Go and have them help you wash up,” Prince Zhao said, standing up and stretching. “Rest and recuperate, and then we’ll do what needs to be done.”
“What, you’re leaving again?” Princess Consort Zhao was clearly displeased.
“I’ve been feeling tired lately. Have them give me a massage, and I’ll come to your room tomorrow,” Prince Zhao said and left.
Princess Consort Zhao was unhappy and called over the old woman beside her. “Go and see which room the Prince is staying in tonight. Tomorrow, send whoever it is to the ancestral temple for pure cultivation for three months. They’ll be back just in time for the New Year.”
Prince Zhao’s mansion had many concubines, which clearly indicated the Prince’s philandering nature.
However, they were still afraid of Princess Consort Zhao, so these concubines who entered the household were given contraceptive soup from the first day they entered the mansion.
Only a few dowry maidservants brought by the Princess Consort were allowed to become concubines and have children.
And only daughters were kept. If a son was born, he would not be kept at all.
